Windows 11 is now testing a new accessibility feature that is intended to make it easier to keep track of your mouse. A mouse pointer crosshair feature is hidden within Windows 11 Build 27913. The feature uses crossing lines to show you where your cursor currently is on your screen.
Previously, Microsoft did test the feature, but then the company just stopped including it with Windows 11 Build 26085, which was around a year and a half ago. Now, seemingly, the feature is back in testing for Windows laptops and PCs.
X user @phantomofearth pointed out that the mouse pointer crosshair feature is currently hidden. If you want to use it at the moment, you would need an app such as ViVeTool, a tool that allows you to enable hidden or experimental features in the Windows operating system.
Image Credit - @phantomofearth
So this basically means that the feature is not being officially internally tested just yet.
Meanwhile, the same functionality is already available via an app called PowerToys, and if you don't want to wait until the official Insider testing of Microsoft's take, you can use this app and get this feature. The feature is available for free with PowerToys, a collection of utilities for Windows 11 packaged together into a single app.
The feature in PowerToys is called "Mouse Pointer Crosshairs", and you can fine-tune several aspects of it, including color, opacity, and thickness of the lines that point to your cursor.
Would you use a crosshair to help you find your mouse pointer?
Yes, I lose it all the time
25%
Maybe, depends how it looks
0%
No thanks, I’m good
75%
I already use something like that
0%
Meanwhile, it is currently not clear when Microsoft will start testing the feature officially and when it will be deemed good to be introduced with a future Windows 11 update. I personally think that it is long overdue, and should be pretty simple to have it there.
Windows 11 does have a way to show you your mouse (briefly) if you lost it on your screen. From Settings, then Bluetooth and Devices, then Mouse, then Mouse pointer. There, you can set the Mouse Indicator to On, and when it's on, every time you press the Control key (ctrl), you'll have a circle around your cursor so you can find it more easily.
MacOS has a similar functionality – you move your mouse (or your fingers on the trackpad) quickly in a shaking motion, and the mouse cursor becomes bigger on your display for you to locate it.
But the difference here is that the crosshair feature appears it would be always on, and can be especially helpful if you have low vision or a large display. The lines stretch from edge to edge, which means you can easily locate your mouse pointer even in a cluttered background, and it can also help with pixel-perfect precision if you work with programs like CAD or design apps.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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